Cooling/"Mesh" Saddle Pads

A couple of weeks ago I saw something about cooling/mesh saddle pads on TikTok. I sort of scoffed and kept scrolling, but now I’m wondering… Do they actually work? If you have experience with them, what’s your favorite brand?

I’m in Texas, so we know heat. I recently got a mesh saddle pad from Equinavia. I love it! It definitely seems like it would be cooler then a traditional pad. It also has a fully mesh spine, which feels like it would help with airflow. Link below if you want to check it out. Best part is it was $40, which felt super reasonable in today’s market.

https://www.equinavia.com/equinavia-svalbard-all-purpose-saddle-pad-with-nordicair-tech-e17010-nv/p

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I got one recently on a whim, can’t remember the brand but it wasn’t expensive. I haven’t used it a lot yet, but after my lesson Sunday the horse was super sweaty under the leather girth and not at all under the saddle. Wasn’t the most strenuous lesson so will see how it goes.

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This one came up fo rme on amazon and seemed like a good entry point!

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I have a couple of smartpak ones and they seem to work well in the heat. Also you can just hose them down after a ride and they are clean and dry and ready to use again within a few hours which is a huge bonus.

Any chance you have a lemieux one for comparison?

The lemieux is a cotton back but mesh outer I think from the perspective it absorbs the sweat and then lets the moisture out. I do think it’s cooler than a suede or satin from then but curious about alternatives.

I have their mesh brush boots and love them. I also have one of their blankets and I quite like it as well. I have seen and felt their saddle pads and they are so light weight and a really nice material, but haven’t purchased one quite yet. They are a Canadian company though so not sure about shipping if you are in the US:

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